A Winter Wonderland

It's hard to believe that there's been snow on the ground in Seattle for over a week now. I don't know if that's a record or not, but I've lived here eleven years now, and I don't recall anything nearly that long. Here's the view from my window this morning. The snow from the last photo is still there.













Farley and I went out for an early morning walk. The sheer joy of him romping in the snow, and the fact that there are essentially no cars on the road, prompted me to do something rather stupid. I let go of his leash. For the next half hour he taunted me mercilessly; coming close at times as I pleaded for him to come, and then disappearing around a corner making me wonder if I'd ever see him again. Then he'd pop up a half-block away to tease me. I finally managed to get him back when a passerby appeared in the alley. (And I thought I was the only guy foolish enough to be out in the snow before 6AM.) Farley, social animal that he is, couldn't resist going over to greet him. At my request, the stranger took Farley's leash and handed the culprit over.



Here's a shot of a normally open street a block away from my place. Sometime last night, the cabbie got caught sideways on the hill without hitting anything, and I guess decided not to push his luck. A prudent choice, I'd say.

I'm sure that as during at least one snow storm a few years ago, the Evanston alley will soon be filled with the howls of joy from the 40 and 50ish kids sliding down the hill on improvised sleds and toboggans. I may even get out my old skis and carve some turns in the Fremont Alps. If only I could harness Farley's energy to have him drag me back up the hill!